CHINA and Russia are developing weapons that have the power to destroy American satellites in the event of a conflict, a top general warned lawmakers yesterday according to reports.

US Defence Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Robert Ashley spoke to the Senate Armed Services Committee alongside National Intelligence Director Dan Coats to make the stark warning.

Mr Ashley said: “They understand the dependencies that we have on space and so they’re developing capabilities for how to counter that, whether it’s a direct-energy weapon that is terrestrial, whether it is a co-orbital attack satellite, whether it’s jamming from the ground.

“So, they’re looking at strategies and how they develop really kind of a layered approach to deny us that capability because they realise how integral it is, not only for us but it will be integral for them, as well.”

Both men agreed the US currently has a “significant advantage” over Chinese and Russian space capabilities.

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However, they also believe both adversaries intend to neutralise said inequality with anti-satellite weaponry.

Such an attack would wreak havoc on GPS systems and other satellite-based technology used by both private and military sectors.

They feel the weapons would target not only government satellites, but “military, civil, or commercial space systems”.

Mr Coats specified: “Russian and Chinese destructive ASAT weapons probably will reach initial operational capability in the next few years.”

The duo’s testimony further solidified a fear which has become increasingly alarming for US policy-makers in the last few months.

In a prepared statement, Ashley wrote that China currently regards its space capabilities as part of a barricade against “third-party intervention” in a regional conflict, “such as a Taiwan contingency.”

Writing of similar Russian intent, Mr Ashley wrote: “Moscow has concluded that gaining and maintaining supremacy in space will have a decisive impact on the outcome of future conflicts and is developing counter-space systems to hold U.S. space assets at risk.”

Meanwhile, Mr Coats added: “Russia and China continue to publicly and diplomatically promote international agreements on the non-weaponisation of space and ‘no first placement’ of weapons in space.

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Both men agreed the US currently has a “significant advantage” over Chinese and Russian capabilities

“However, many classes of weapons would not be addressed by such proposals, allowing them to continue their pursuit of space warfare capabilities while publicly maintaining that space must be a peaceful domain.”

The men warned of major military power between China and Russia, referring to the international development of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles which could counter ballistic missile defence systems.

In sobering conclusion, Mr Ashley said: “The security environment is becoming more complex with our adversaries’ determined pursuit of advanced technologies across multiple domains to include cyber, space, and weapons of mass destruction, expanding regional and global ambitions and the serious, persistent threat from terrorism.